The federal government is reaching out to other countries and companies for partnership on a massive satellite program to improve its communications and weather forecasting abilities in the Arctic.

Ottawa is seeking to bring international partners to a massive polar communication and weather tracking project that seeks to launch two satellites to provide improved meteorological data in the Arctic.

OTTAWA—The federal government is reaching out to other countries and companies for partnership on a massive satellite program to improve its communications and weather forecasting abilities in the Arctic.

Ottawa is seeking industry input on its Polar Communications and Weather project, which aims to launch two satellites to provide “high capacity, continuous communication services” and improved meteorological data in the Arctic.

The project was conceived in 2008 as a partnership between the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), Environment Canada and the Department of National Defence. But as the federal Conservatives attempt to balance the budget and scale back program spending, bureaucrats are now discussing the possibility of a “Canadian-led” mission with buy-in from other governments and companies with a stake in the North.

“The benefits of a multifaceted, collaborative polar constellation venture are wide-ranging,” reads a request for information posted earlier this week.

“(It) could also provide a globally-unique, tactical communications capability to allies and an improved weather monitoring capability to support global weather and sea ice forecasting.”

The Conservatives have made the North a core part of their image, with Prime Minister Stephen Harper staging annual photo opportunities in the region. Arctic sovereignty has become a pressing issue, especially with the effects of climate change opening up new Arctic trade routes and possibilities for natural resource extraction.

The polar program was originally reported to have a $600-million price tag, but it’s not clear how much the government currently expects it will cost. The two satellites were initially planned for launch in 2016 to begin operations in 2017. Officials would only say more information is being sought from industry, and CSA could not provide an interview or any further information.

While the polar communication project has been in the works for years, Canada now has “tangible evidence of a change in the Arctic through melting sea ice (and) unusual weather.” Those effects not only provide serious challenges for Canadians in the North, but renew industry interest in the regions industrial and commercial potential.

“To adapt to these circumstances, there is a growing need for improved infrastructure and services to support communities, enable economic activity and to protect the environment,” the document reads.

Dennis Bevington, the New Democrat MP for the Northwest Territories riding of Western Arctic, said better weather forecasting in remote northern locations is sorely needed for both residents of the North and companies looking to explore the region.

“The climate is changing,” Bevington said.

“The weather conditions, the ice conditions, are very unpredictable now. So you need to have better forecasting, you need better weather monitoring systems.”

“You look at the Russians, they’re up to 26 search and rescue bases across their Arctic coast. They’re building new ice breakers,” Bevington said. “We are supposed to build a new ice breaker. We’ve got the name of it, but I haven’t seen much other work that’s happened on it.”

At the same time, the Department of National Defence is planning its own satellite program for northern surveillance. The Radarsat Constellation Mission, led by CSA and funded by DND, plans to launch three satellites in 2018.

“(The mission) will significantly enhance our ability to detect, identify, and track vessels of interest in Canada’s maritime areas, the Arctic region, and in support of expeditionary operations around the world,” DND spokesman Daniel Blouin wrote in an emailed statement.

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